This invention relates to a work changer for changing work holders, each having a workpiece attached thereon between a work storage magazine and a machine tool or a machining center having a table to which a work holder is detachably attached in a horizontal direction.
In a conventional work storage magazine, a plurality of work holders, each having a workpiece attached thereon, are stored along a horizontal doughnut-shaped orbit. Each axis of the work holders stored in the work magazine is directed in a vertical direction.
In a certain type of machine tool, a work holder is held on the table along a horizontal direction.
A work holder vertically stored in the work storage magazine is detached therefrom and transferred to the table by a work changer in such a manner that the work holder rotates so as to be directed in a horizontal direction.
On the other hand, the work holder horizontally set in the table is detached therefrom and transferred to the work magazine by the work changer in such a manner that the work holder rotates so as to be directed in a vertical direction.
Because of many drive mechanisms and drive means for the above-stated operations, the conventional work changer is large in scale and complicated in construction, so that many problems can occur.